Office building goes solar

Photon Energy Australia, a subsidiary of global solar power solutions and services company Photon Energy, has recently completed the construction of a large solar power system for a major office building in Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD). The 283 kWp power plant has been commissioned and is up and running. The solar power plant supplements the building’s main daytime energy source.

The power plant will produce 371,000 kWh annually, saving 352 tons of CO2 each year and will assist in achieving a 5 Star Greenstar and 5 Star NABERS rating. The power plant will be used to cover daytime loads with the possibility to export surpluses to the grid, thus generating additional revenue. The system is designed to cover a certain amount of electricity to the building per annum in order to meet the NABERS rating and utilises the available roof surfaces and exposed facades to maximise the output per square meter at the lowest cost per kWh.

“Solar energy is rapidly changing the way Australians look at energy consumption”, says Michael Gartner Managing Director of Photon Energy Australia. “With new financing models available, such as solar leasing or power purchase agreements, customers can now have their own eco-building with a rooftop power plant with no upfront investment. Just costs savings”, Gartner continues.

“PV-systems for self-consumption on commercial property raise a company’s profile, which can be a vital factor in a market where customers increasingly demand that corporates walk the talk on resource efficiency”, says Georg Hotar, CEO of Photon Energy Group.

Solar energy as a power source protects companies against volatile and growing energy prices, thereby raising shareholder value and providing a competitive advantage.

“We are proud to be associated with this flagship project, which highlights that solar PV has reached the tipping point of becoming the most cost effective way of achieving energy efficiency and is a viable choice even given the constraints of inner city locations”, Gartner concludes.